Egypt: Day of protest and another day of death

Bloodshed returned to the streets of Egypt on Friday after at least 60 people
were killed when the Muslim Brotherhood's "day of rage" exploded
into more fierce fighting between protesters and the security forces.

Supporters of Mohammed Morsi, the deposed Islamist president, clashed with the military in Cairo and other cities as one of the bloodiest weeks in the country's recent history approached a violent climax. At least 35 people were killed in the capital and 12 died in the Nile Delta cities, with witnesses again accusing the security forces of using live rounds to subdue the demonstrators.

The idea was for a "day of anger", with Mr Morsi's supporters marching peacefully from mosques across the city to Ramses Square to demonstrate their fury at the killings and the military suppression.

Within a few hours, the chaos and bloodletting had begun, with automatic gunfire echoing across Cairo and black smoke billowing from the square itself. The Telegraph counted the bodies of 35 protesters, killed by bullets and baton rounds, at a makeshift morgue close to the fighting.

On Friday night, as the international community struggled for a response to the turmoil, a coalition of Egyptian Islamists said they would hold daily protests against the country's new rulers, in defiance of the military-imposed month-long state of emergency.

At first, it seemed that the day might not descend into violence, that the gloomy predictions of several analysts of mass killings might be averted.

Egyptians mourn over the bodies of their relatives in the Al-Fath mosque, in Cairo, Egypt

In Ramses Square the atmosphere was almost that of a carnival. Hundreds of people followed a leader in a mass Mexican wave. Others chanted passionately but peacefully.

"The government calls us terrorists, so I ask you: have you ever seen a terrorist who can dance like this?" Abdelrahman Fathy asked, before performing a jig.

The catalyst for what happened is disputed. Security forces claim that the Azbakeya police station, on the edge of Ramses Square, "came under attack" by a crowd of armed Islamist protesters. It is a claim that this newspaper has not been able to verify independently.

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters gather in Ramses Square (AFP)

It took seconds for the mood to shift to mass panic. Bursts of gunfire sounded as security forces, reportedly backed by armed men in civilian clothes, fired on crowds on the 6th October Bridge that were trying to reach the square.

Video footage showed a man leaping off the bridge on to concrete below in a desperate attempt to avoid the bullets. In Ramses Square people scrambled over each other trying to escape the mixture of rubber bullets, tear gas and live fire.

"They are shooting from Azbakeya police station. I saw four dead bodies lying in the street," said one witness.

Egyptian soldiers take position during the clashes (EPA)

Ahmed Magdy, 28, a geology student, said: "The police and thugs are shooting at us. There were police from inside Azbakeya shooting."

The al-Fatah mosque that minutes earlier had been the setting for peaceful mass prayers became a field hospital and morgue. The casualties streamed through the door, more than 30 were brought in within the first 25 minutes of the attack.

Most were severely injured, bleeding from bullet and birdshot wounds to the head, chest, stomach and legs. Some crawled through the doors, others were carried by fellow protesters.

Volunteers and medical staff tried to revive a young man, no older than 20, who suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach. His narrow, skinny frame was stripped and his body was covered in his blood. He heaved and struggled for breath as blood poured from his wound.

Gradually he fell unconscious. Medical staff tried to help him, but with nothing more than cotton wool and an IV drip, there was little that they could do. Two men tried desperately to resuscitate him, but he had lost too much blood. Minutes later he was pronounced dead.

A protester lies wounded (EPA)

It was a scene repeated all around. As the wounded flooded in, the mosque was transformed quickly into a scene of carnage. Men lay scattered around, vomiting and convulsing, their T-shirts and trousers drenched in their blood.

"What can we do against this?" cried one doctor, looking helplessly around.

Those that died were dragged into a side room. Within an hour of the start of the attack, 25 corpses lay neatly in a row their hands and feet tied with string. Another hour later and the death toll had risen to 35. A young woman in a pink headscarf paced around, shaking and crying as she searched for a loved one. "Is there someone here called Mahmoud Najib?" she asked anyone who would listen. "I heard that he is injured."

Egyptian army soldiers take their positions on top and next to their armored vehicles while guarding an entrance to Tahrir square.

On Thursday, Tamarod, a protest group that organised opposition to Mr Morsi's rule, also urged Egyptians to take to the streets. It told them to rally "to reject domestic terrorism and foreign interference". Many of the opposition protesters denied having any allegiance with the Brotherhood, declaring that they wanted to show their disgust at the violence used by security forces.

"I am against the Brotherhood and the army. But for today, after this violence, everyone should just be against the army," said Gamal Edin Mahmoud from the Free People's movement, as gunfire sounded from the neighbouring street.

"For us the return of Morsi is not a priority. Our goal is to topple the military's rule. They have controlled Egypt since 1952. We didn't finish our revolution so the army stepped in.